Image courtesy of Gazette / Sony Music Entertainment / Warner Records
RECORDS
Celebrating Our Favourite 80s Music Icons ELTON JOHN Elton John is undoubtedly one of Britain’s beloved performers and with a career that spans over 4 decades, it’s not hard to see why. The 80s in particular were an incredible decade for him. It saw hits such as ‘I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues’, the re-release of ‘Candle in the Wind’ and the re-release of ‘Your Song’ come to life, yet it is the anthemic ‘I’m Still Standing’ that really showed people what he was made of. With his amazing skills, John was able to make this single go platinum in the UK and gold in the US! As a lively performer, John pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable at the time. From flashy costumes to being an icon for the LGBT+ community, he was never afraid to be himself. He was comfortable talking about his sexuality to the media and advocating for LGBT+ people in a society that was overtly homophobic. When the AIDs pandemic came around in the 80s, John was at the forefront. He wore his red ribbon with pride and refused to back down as he stood with his fellow LGBT+ members - loud and proud! JO LISNEY
JOAN JETT Joan Jett is one of the greatest icons of the 1980s. The main reason she’s so important to music history is the pioneering role she had in bringing women to the male-dominated world of rock music. As a big fan of female rock bands, I’m extremely thankful for Joan Jett encouraging others to follow suit. Of course, it has to be added that the fact Lita Ford quit The Runaways was due to the other’s, “always giggling about other girls” and never discussing boys – what could be more rock n roll? Finally, her song titles have to be given a spotlight, as she deserves an award for her creativity with these. Some of her iconic ‘80s titles include ‘If Ya Want My Luv’, ‘Tossin & Turnin’, ‘Coney Island Whitefish’, and one of the best, ‘Oh Woe is Me’. If you aren’t familiar with her music already, be sure to give Joan Jett a listen, it’ll change your life. MADDIE LOCK
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PRINCE The icon, the legend, The Artist Formerly Known as Prince. There is no way to describe the impact Prince’s work had on the world of music; his music was futuristic, experimental, and pure genius, making him arguably one of the most successful artists to emerge in the eighties. Prince has a unique power of telling a story just through the power of music alone; this is evident in the final 5 minutes of ‘Purple Rain’ which barely have any lyrics but is arguably the most powerful and poetic aspect of the track. It wasn’t just the eccentric guitar and masterful combinations of funk, soul, and jazz throughout his music, but his own vast vocal range and flamboyant personality which made Prince not only an iconic musician of the eighties but one of the greatest musicians of all time. MORGAN MCMILLAN
